Quote of the Week #19

"Remember the two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn't work; and second, the failure gives you the opportunity to try a new approach."

- Roger Von Oech

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Reggie Waller is the president of RWJ Consulting Group a provider of business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #18

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.

- Dale Carnegie

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Reggie Waller is the president of RWJ Consulting Group a provider of business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #17

"The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get less than you settle for!"


- Maureen Dowd


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Reggie Waller is the president of RWJ Consulting Group a provider of business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Networking: Reconnecting with contacts in your network!

In an article, I wrote previously this year “Make a True Connection: Networking for Personal and Professional Success!” the message focused on networking with an emphasis on making a connection with a person and taking it beyond the business card.

This month, the focus is on “reconnecting with contacts in your network.” Reconnecting with contacts is like taking your car in for routine maintenance. It’s good to make it a part of your routine plan whether it’s monthly, quarterly or yearly, but it’s something you need to do. With the current conditions of the economy, some individuals have relied heavily on their existing network and others had to start from scratch.

Reconnecting with your network can bring many benefits to your professional relationship. Let’s focus on the Why, How and When:

Why reconnect with your professional contacts?

1. Get a status. See what has changed (i.e. revenues, business expansion, etc.)
2. Share industry news and updates.
3. Grow your business.
4. Build a lasting relationship.

How to reconnect with your professional contacts?

There are many ways that you can reconnect with your contacts. Only you would know the best methods based on prior conversations. Don’t limit yourself on the ways you network and reconnect with your contacts. Here are some ways for you to be strategic and recharge that connection:

- Social Networks – Send a message through LinkedIn, Facebook or any other social network. Social networks also allow you to give an update of things you are working on and literature you may be reading.

- Email – Send an email with those contacts you communicate with via email. Send a quick email to see how things are going with them especially with the current economic conditions. Who knows, they may require your help or the help of someone within your network.

- Phone call – Another method that is rarely used. It is always nice to talk and hear a voice on the other end of the phone.

- Lunch/ Face to face meeting – A cup of coffee or a bite to eat, a nice informal way to reconnect and share news with your contacts.

- Personal letter/ note card – This method is seldom used. Even though electronic communications reach our audience much faster, a handwritten message displays that there was some thought put behind the message.

- Holiday parties – What better way to reconnect with your contacts. If you are hesitant on going to several holiday parties, why not be the host of your own Holiday “Reconnecting Network” Party.

- Holiday cards – “Tis the season”. Share a card of warm wishes during the holidays and include a personal message.

When to reconnect with your professional contacts?

When you’re building your network, being patient and preparing for the next time is significant. It’s never too early or too late to build a healthy network. Don’t wait until you need something from your network. “Be proactive, not reactive when networking!”

As you see, reconnecting with your professional contacts can happen for any reason, any time and any place. Don’t let too much time go by or key factors take place before your reconnect. Remember, just as you take your car in for routine maintenance; make sure you set a goal of staying connected with your professional contacts.

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Reggie Waller is the president of RWJ Consulting Group a provider of business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #16

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down.

- Mary Pickford

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Reggie Waller is the president of RWJ Consulting Group a provider of business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #15

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it.

- Greg Anderson

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Reggie Waller is the president of RWJ Consulting Group a provider of business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #14

"Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability." – John Wooden

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Reggie Waller is the president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC a provider of business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Becoming a Powerful Public Speaker

People fear public speaking over death. Is that shocking or what? As I coach people on becoming a more confident speaker, I often get questions on how to incorporate jokes, how much time should a speaker take to prepare and how many powerpoint slides should a speaker use.

These are all great questions. Before anyone can even answer these questions the mainpoint to keep in mind is "How to Influence Your Audience". WIIFM (What Is In It For Me - the Audience)

In the March 2008 issue of BusinessWeek, communications coach Carmine Gallo focuses on "How to Inspire People Like Obama Does". The article focuses on using rhetorical devices, exuding confident body language and dynamic vocal delivery.

Read the full article "How to Inspire People Like Obama Does".

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #13

"When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps."

- Confucius

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Entrepreneurs Need Social Networking

Dan Schawbel, a leading expert in social networking and a Gen-Y branding expert, explains what business owners need to know about the trend.

Entrepreneurs are busy spending time trying to run the various components of their businesses. Some may not have the knowledge to run a successful social networking campaign, that's why you should look to take on a social networking expert to fill this gap.

In my article Social Networking: Five benefits for businesses, I discuss the importance of positioning your company and being involved in one social network.

Read the full article "Entrepreneurs Need Social Networking".

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Social Networking: Five benefits for businesses

Mention the word Social networking and the first thing that comes to mind for most people is teens using Myspace and YouTube. Social networking has evolved beyond these two websites making sites such as LinkedIn, FaceBook and XING common places. Social Networking is no longer a teen phenomenon.

- LinkedIn states that its site includes profiles of more than 25 million professionals, with 25 new members joining every minute every day.

- comScore Video Metrix conducted research and found that in December 2007, YouTube had 77.6 million viewers who watched 3.2 billion videos.

“Like traditional networking, the most effective networking centers on building relationships, engaging others, and developing solid word-of-mouth marketing” said Patrice-Anne Rutledge author of Profiting from Social Networking.

Here are some of the benefits of implementing social networking for your business:

Advertise products and services: Don’t have a large marketing budget. Social Networking is a cost-effective approach for businesses operating on a tight budget or even looking to use another medium. The NFL used Myspace during the 2007 and 2008 Superbowl to showcase the commercials. Viewers were able to post comments on their favorite or not so favorite commercial. This type of medium can be a great spring board for you to showcase new products and services that you might be contemplating.

Market research: Companies study customer behaviors and purchasing patterns. Social networking lets you conduct your own market research with existing and potential customers. A great website to track what customers are saying is Yelp! (www.yelp.com) “Real Reviews, Real People.” Customers have a chance to provide views on services rendered from various industries which include spas, hotels and travel, restaurants, real estate and professional services.

Recruiting: Social networking allows you to reach out to individuals you may have never had access to before. Businesses are utilizing sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to recruit employees. This is an outstanding and cost-effective tool to not only recruit employees, but also engage potential partner’s investors and distributors.

Information sharing with fellow contacts: Are you an expert in your field or industry? Sites like LinkedIn enable you to ask and answer questions related to your industry and just share information with professional contacts.

Video and Audio Podcasts: Share video and audio broadcasts and make them available to customers, employees and your network. If you own an interior design or landscaping business, why not take video footage of your work to share with the social network! Maybe a video podcast will not work for your topic of discussion. Audio podcasts are an excellent way to delivery topics related to health issues, business, education and technology.

Helpful Resources Include:

How to Say it: Marketing with New Media by Lena Claxton and Alison Woo
Podcast Solutions: The Complete Guide to Podcasting by Michael W. Geoghegan and Dan Klass
The Truth about Profiting from Social Networking by Patrice-Anne Ruledge
YouTube for Business: Online Video Marketing for Any Business by Michael Miller

Social networking can be profitable to your business in many ways. Just like any marketing campaign, there’s a potential for an increase in revenue, reach into new markets but most of all name recognition. You don’t need to incorporate all of the social networks out there, but find the one that fits your business environment and work with that until you are comfortable and then add another.

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #12

"Like traditional networking, the most effective networking centers on building relationships, engaging others, and developing solid word-of-mouth marketing."

- Patrice-Anne Rutledge

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #11

Those who expect moments of change to be comfortable and free of conflict have not learned their history.

-Joan Wallach Scott

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

The fear of “CHANGE”: Managing change in the workplace

The three influential factors of change are (1) Political/ Government, (2) Cultural and (3) Competitive/ Economic. In your business environment, are you the one creating change or is change being brought upon you? How do you deal with these types of changes? Do you shut the door and hide from it or do you welcome that change? Let’s take a look at why people fear change and address ways to become a change agent.

Why do people fear change?

1. Change causes you to do or act differently.
2. It is the unknown.
3. “Poor communication, poor communication and poor communication”.

The above three are some key roadblocks when implementing change. What can you do to employ a program that will make people committed and understand the need for change?

Establish a clear communication program. During the change process, you need to OVER communicate and communicate often. Have a communication person or team that will be responsible for creating and maintaining the communications. They would focus on why this change needs to take place, who is impacted by the change, how they are impacted, and when the change is taking place. Creating a communication program (email updates, newsletters, updates at staff meetings) is going to be a vital part of acceptance. Stay current with your communications and avoid surprises. Most importantly, stay factual and be careful not to erode trust.

Create a support system (Change Management team). Getting the right people involved with the change is key. Have someone with change management or organizational development experience to (typically your HR department) help navigate you through the various steps in your changing environment. Depending on the degree of the change, you may want to contract someone from outside the organization to support in the change process.

Offer your employees resources or reference tools such as Johnson, M.D., Spencer and Ken Blanchard. Who Moved My Cheese. 1998.

Avoid changing too much at one time. People tend to fear change when too much is being changed at one time. If the change is going to be major, try to break it into manageable pieces or phases for those to embrace this new environment.

Involve the people that are affected by the change early. When change takes places, it tends to happen with a top-down approach. The persons impacted by the change are the last to know and when its communicated to them, they are resistant. Get their buy-in early as well as making them a part of the change management team if appropriate.

Think of change as a positive and not a negative. Change allows you to shift your behaviors:

Present state - Future state - Desired outcome
Small contracts - Large contracts - Increased revenue stream
Local provider - International provider - Global presence

In your business environment, it is important that you actively manage through change and the impact it may bring. Some types of change you have no control over and others you do. Either way, you need to establish a communication program and make certain you over communicate to the persons impacted by the change.

“Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.” -Pauline R. Kezer

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #10

All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.

-Ellen Glasgow

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Thirteen Networking Mistakes

Networking and building healthy relationships is a talent that many people continue to become comfortable at developing. Web 2.0 will change the way people network for professional and personal advancement.

Dan Woog a Monster Contributing Writer discusses the Thirteen Networking Mistakes.

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit RWJ Consulting Group

Quote of the Week #9

Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor.

- Brian Tracy

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the Week #8

If you think you can do it, you can. If you believe you can do it, you will. If you trust you can do it, you will make a difference.

- Catherine Ellis


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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Five Habits of Millionaires

by Barbara Reinhold

Monster Contributing Writer

According to a study of college students at the Ernst & Young International Intern Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, 59 percent of these young leaders expect to be millionaires within their lifetime. What's more, 5 percent of them expect to hit the million-dollar mark while in their 20s.
And the super-rich are a growing group. The top 0.1 percent of the population's average income was $3 million in 2002, up two and a half times the $1.2 million, adjusted for inflation, that group reported in 1980.

Earned Money vs. Easy Money

Easy money usually comes from inheritance or luck, such as winning the lottery. The track record of people who get their money through the lottery or other windfalls is usually very different from those who created their wealth themselves or who planned for an expected inheritance. Lottery winners are often a sorry lot; more than 90 percent use up their winnings within 10 years -- some go through their money in weeks or months.

But there are some consistent patterns among those people who earn or plan to inherit their money, and these five strategies may be worth emulating.

1. Avoid the Earn-to-Spend Mentality

Michael LeBoeuf, author of The Millionaire in You, points out that to increase wealth, it's essential to emulate millionaires who view money as something to save and invest, rather than income to spend. Many wealthy people live quite simply, he points out, choosing less pretentious homes than they could theoretically afford and opting for financial independence over material showmanship.

2. Focus

LeBoeuf also counsels resisting the impulse to be scattered in your efforts and interests: "Winners focus; losers spray." And goals that are clearly written down are easier to keep in focus.

3. Do Whatever Is Necessary to Meet Your Goal

People who earn their millions are able not only to focus but persevere in the pursuit of their goals. One single mom entrepreneur, Melissa Clark-Reynolds, started her first business, a health and safety consultancy, when she had a young son. En route to her goal of being a millionaire by age 35, Clarke-Reynolds and her son ate lots of pizza, did homework late at night and often slept at the office. She is now a chief executive mentor for Empower New Zealand, a global business consulting firm headquartered in London.

4. Take Calculated Risks

You have to take strategic risks to earn and grow money. And a little rebelliousness seems to help too. One interesting study found a majority of male millionaire entrepreneurs had been in trouble with school authorities or the police during their adolescence.

5. Be Generous

And why doesn't it surprise us that millionaires are often very generous? Sometimes it's for the tax breaks, obviously, but often it's not. One Jewish Swiss millionaire, for instance, flew to Israel to give $5,000 in cash to a waiter at a Jerusalem café who foiled a Palestinian suicide bombing. Among the most generous of millionaires are those from North America, who are, according to a Merrill Lynch Cap-Gemini report, two to five times more likely to give to causes they value than their European counterparts.

These five habits are a pretty good prescription for living happily even if you're not a millionaire.
But LeBoeuf insists it's not so unusual to be a millionaire. As of 2004, there were 8.2 million households with a net worth of more than $1 million. And are the folks in those households happy? Yes, says professor Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick in the UK. After studying more than 9,000 people over eight years, Oswald concluded that people who come into money are happier. The happiest among them, he says, seem to be "highly educated, well-paid women who have jobs."

And how much money does the professor say it takes to be happy? "About $1 million, give or take a little."

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the Week #7

"Twenty years from now you will be more dissapointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor .... Explore. Dream. Discover."

- Mark Twain

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the week #6

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.

- John Wooden

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the Week #5

If you want what you never had, you have to do what you have never done!!!

- unknown

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Thank you! Part II … Recognizing Your Employees

“Recognizing employees is not simply a nice thing to do. It is an effective way to communicate your appreciation for the efforts and successes of others, while also reinforcing those actions and behaviors that make a difference in your organization” a point made by Mallary Tytel – President and Founder of Healthy Workplaces.

Let’s face it, we all like to be recognized for our efforts. Some like a “BIG to do” and others like a simple “Thank you”. Whatever the case, employees like to be acknowledged and shown they are appreciated.

Here are some ideas for you to incorporate into your recognition plan:

Employee pictures in printed advertising materials and television commercials: In 2007, federal court employees were recognized for leadership, excellence in court operations, and extraordinary actions. Each employees picture and a descriptive paragraph of their efforts appeared in “The Third Branch” newsletter of the federal courts.

Putting employee pictures in your print materials allows them to share it with family and friends.

Appreciation lunch: Instead of having a normal catered lunch or going to your cafeteria, why not have the management team serve lunch to the employees to show their appreciation. This can also be done serving ice cream sundaes to employees in the afternoon as a nice stress reliever.

Years of Service Recognition: When an employee reaches a milestone year of service with the company (5yr, 10yr, etc.) recognize them for their efforts. Have peers or other leaders that worked with the employee attend the event and provide comments. Have a cake, invite their family in and when you acknowledge them, personalize your message:

• What were the company revenues when they first joined?
• What was the first role they occupied?
• How has the employee progressed throughout the company?
• Any key initiatives that the employee was involved with?
• What was going on in the world when the employee first began with your company?

If you’re going to roast them during the years of service recognition, make sure that they are okay and all stories are appropriate for the occasion.

Team outing: Recognize the team for their accomplishments and take them out for a team outing. Bowling and lunch is a cheap outing. Everyone thrives on a little competition and bowling is an activity that everyone can enjoy (even if you have to put up the bumpers in the lane).

No meeting Fridays: Some employees spend enough time meeting about the meeting and what we plan to do in the next meeting. Give time back to your employees on Fridays and have a rule of no meetings.

Early close/ early leave in the summer: If your company can do so, why not let employees leave one hour early every Friday during the summer (May - Labor Day).

Do their job for a day: You recognized that they have done something above and beyond, but what better way to understand what they do than by doing their job for a day.

“Employee recognition is not just a nice thing to do for people. Employee recognition is a communication tool that reinforces and rewards the most important outcomes people create for your business” – Susan M. Heathfield of About.com

Employers, what are your peers doing in your industry to recognize their employees?

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the Week #4

Living in the past is a dull and lonely business; looking back strains the neck muscles, and causes you to bump into people not going your way.

- Ferber

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Thank You! Part I - Recognizing Your Customers

Not expressing thanks to your customers is a missed golden opportunity. It is a proven growth and customer retention strategy, one that businesses are not in the habit of doing.

- a Lenox etiquette poll found that nearly five out of every 10 people don't always say thanks.

When should you say thank you? There is no written rule that indicates when and how you should thank you customers. Some of us say it during the holidays and others say it when we win new business. It would be ideal to thank them at natural points:

• Customer demonstrates loyalty (i.e. number of years, amount of money spent, etc.)
• Customer provides a reference/ new project
• Customer gives you feedback
• New customer

These are some of many natural points in which you can say thank you to your customers. As you do your business planning each year, be sure to add a line item in your budget for customer recognition and ways you would thank them. Another point to keep in mind is that some companies have a policy in place for receiving gifts (i.e. must be between $25 - $50 dollars, shared with the group, etc.). You may want to check with your customers prior to sending a gift to ensure it is within the policy.

NOTE: No matter how late you are, be sure to thank your customer. It is better to be late, than to say nothing at all.

Ways to say thank you (monetary vs. non-monetary):

Monetary

Gift cards: They are a nice gesture and can be purchased in various denominations. You can also purchase them from various retailers that your customer may patronize.
Charitable giving: This is a unique way to thank a customer. If they have a charitable organization (i.e. American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters, etc.) that you know of, make a contribution on their behalf. This is a personalized gift and it lets them know you support a cause they are passionate about.

Free samples of products: Depending on the nature of your business, you can offer free samples of existing and future products.

Discount: Offer a discount on the next point of sale.

Non- Monetary

Thank you note: This is the most traditional method of saying thank you. Nothing computer generated. Just a good old fashion hand-written note (personalized, sincere, short and specific) to show your gratitude. I have a stack of thank you cards that I use. You can keep them in your laptop bag, briefcase and write them when you have some down time.

Thank you letter: This is something that could be computer generated and is a little more formal. Be sure to personalize the letter and keep it specific.

Pick up the phone: When in doubt, pick up the phone and call the customer to say thank you. They would really appreciate you taking the time to pick up the phone and thank them for choosing your business/ service over your competitors. We schedule meetings throughout the week, so why not schedule a block of time to call your customers to thank them.

Newsletter recognition: All gifts don't need to be monetary. You can recognize your customers within your newsletters as well.

Give them leads: Again, no monetary value, but a great way to send potential business to your customers as a way of saying thank you.

Send an email: This is a way to thank multiple customers that may have been involved with a particular situation. This method is overused and not as personal, so use this method the least.

People like to feel appreciated and recognized. Saying thank you is a gift that keeps on giving. If it is not part of your business strategy, add it; it is an effective and winning business tactic.

Look for Thank you! Part II ... Recognizing Your Employees.

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the Week #3

The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.

- Alan Ashley-Pitt

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the Week #2

"Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving, but does not make any progress."

- Alfred A. Montapert

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

The 10 Foundations of Motivation- The Power of Passion

A great friend of mine, Shawn Doyle is a Professional Speaker, trainer, Author and Consultant. Listen to his presentation on "The 10 Foundations of Motivation" with a focus on "The Power of Passion".

Have passion for what you do!



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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Quote of the week #1

“Focus on your potential instead of your limitations”

-Alan Loy McGinnis


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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Best Practices: Improve your memory skills for better networking

Jennifer Goddard wrote a great blog post on BNET.com called "OMG, Did You Just Forget the Client’s Name?".

Have you ever forgotten a client's name or even someone you just met? If you answered yes to either question, you're not alone. We tend to be on information overload causing us to forget some of the most simple things such as someone's name.

To help me improve my memory, a friend of mine recommended The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, and at Play by Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas. This book has some valuable tips and exercises to help you improve your memory in the areas of:

• Speeches
• Names and Faces
• Long Words, Appointments and Errands, Shopping Lists
• Long-Digits Numbers

What methods do you use to improve your memory?

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Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Ways to continue your learning (Part 2)

In my previous blog post The benefits of continuous learning (Part 1), I focused on the benefits of learning. Now, let’s take a look at how you can accomplish various ways to continue your learning.

Volunteer your services: Joining a non-profit committee is a great opportunity to use your current skills and expand on skills you’re looking to develop. Non-profits are always looking for volunteers to fill gaps.

Podcasts and Webcasts: Since inception, podcasts and webcasts have been a great tool for distant learning. There are many sites that you can visit to find podcasts and webcasts on various topics. They are easily downloadable to your pc or mp3 player and can be accessed at anytime (some charges may apply).

Books on tape/ cd: An effective way to learn during your commute to work or business travel. This method will require you to spend money, but at the same time you’re expanding your learning base. There are books on tape/ cd that you can get ranging from various topics.

Start a reading routine: Whether it’s an online paper, blog or book, start a routine to further educate yourself. Drew, a great friend of mine visits Barnes and Noble and Borders and reads the periodicals to keep abreast of the current events for free. You can also visit your local library where it cost you nothing.

Attend college classes: There are non-traditional ways to achieve this. Audit classes at your alma mater, local college or community college. If you don’t want to attend a two-year program, you can also get a certification in your field to keep you up on your industry. Many colleges also offer distance learning classes so that you never have to step foot in the classroom.

Seminars and workshops: Another great way to expand your learning base and meet people within your industry. Again, there will be some type of cost associated with it, but sometimes your employer may reimburse the cost.

Try something new: Pursue your wild ideas, learn a skill or craft that you’ve never tried before (dance, playing an instrument, painting or photography).

These methods are a few of many that you can use to increase your learning. Even if you graduated last year or twenty years ago, the learning journey is never over.

Have fun and keep learning!


***

Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

The benefits of continuous learning (Part 1)

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, with a downturn in the economy, there has been an increase in the amount of admission applications to business schools for advanced degrees. Why wait for a slow down in the economy, loss of job, or even wait until the kids graduate college in order to advance your learning.

“Don’t ever think you know as much as you need to know, or that you know more than the majority so you’re better off and that’s good enough. There will always be something to learn, something to discover. Be humble in your knowledge and continually try to learn as much as you can.” Mondaybynoon.com

There are multiple ways to continue your learning without having to put two or more years of your life, job or family on hold and it will not break your bank. Let’s take a look at the value of continuous learning and ways we can go about accomplishing this.

Benefits of continuous learning:

It keeps you alert, more interesting, and your mind sharp: This will be very beneficial especially when networking or having small talk at the water cooler. You don’t want to get left behind.

Meet new people: Allows you to make connections that can link to future jobs, business partner(s), and just new friends period.

Earn a higher income: Learning new skills has a potential to increase your income. What critical thinking and analytical skills do you need in your industry to help you increase your income?

According to Samuel Odle, “Lifelong learning is crucial to our personal success as well as the success of our organizations. Gaining new skills and knowledge energizes us; it gives us strength to tackle the challenges we face in our everyday jobs …”

Stay tuned for Ways to continue your learning (Part 2)

***

Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Need Help Finding Your Bliss? Hire a Coach

I was reading the New York Times and came across yet another article on coaching. As things are changing in the economy, people are looking to coaches for improvement and balance around:

• Career
• Money
• Health
• Personal Growth

Enjoy!!!

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Need Help Finding Your Bliss? Hire a Coach
By SUSAN MORAN
New York Times
Published: July 5, 2008

BOULDER, Colo. — A 43-year-old man is weary of teaching high school but has no clue how else to make a living. A 67-year-old man wants to leave banking but does not want to retire before leaving a more positive mark on the world. A 52-year-old woman is an emergency room doctor who loves her work but pines for more downtime.

All of them took part in a workshop in Boulder recently that was led by a career “intuitive” named Sue Frederick — a former career counselor who draws upon her dreams, ancient numerology and conversations with spirits to “see your dream job.”

As the economic slump continues, many workers, even those who hate their jobs, are reluctant to look for more satisfying work. But others are turning to nontraditional career counselors and coaches to help them navigate transitions in their lives and careers.

These workers have read the umpteenth edition of “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Richard Nelson Bolles and have mastered the Myers-Briggs personality test. Now they crave something more offbeat and probing.

Lucky for them, there are as many flavors of career counselors — and more recently coaches, including “psychic” and “intuitive” ones — as there are careers. Career counselors tend to explore psychological undercurrents with clients, and they often have a master’s degree in counseling. Coaches typically come from the corporate world and focus on goal-setting.

It is not just residents of Boulder, a mecca for all things organic and spiritual, who flock to Ms. Frederick’s “career intuition boot camp” and individual sessions in person or over the phone. “I don’t want to come across as a new age-y kind of guy with my head in the stars, because as a New Yorker type that’s the last thing I am,” said Gary Purnhagen, 55, who started his own management consulting business in Manhattan a few months ago after spending 20 years working for companies. “But going to Sue was probably the best decision I’ve ever made in terms of reaching out.”

Several months ago Mr. Purnhagen left a financial printing company that was laying people off. He trolled the Internet for counselors and coaches. When he saw Ms. Frederick’s Web site he was drawn to her big smile and her message that your dream job should make you giggle when you speak of it. Then, call it coincidence or destiny, a consultant friend of his in New York suggested that he check out a career coach named Sue Frederick, and Mr. Purnhagen tossed his skepticism aside. Four one-hour phone sessions and $500 later, he said he is more focused, confident and trusting in his ability to build a lucrative clientele.

Ms. Frederick, 58, trained as a career counselor in the 1970s at the University of Missouri. She worked at the university and later in the private sector. But she yearned to add to her repertoire her self-described clairvoyance, which she says she discovered when she was a child who would dream about things that would often happen later that day.

Her husband warned that she would lose corporate clients if she called herself a career intuitive, but she did anyway. “Soon I had more clients than I knew what to do with,” Ms. Frederick told the 29 people at a recent workshop.When career coaches jumped onto the scene a decade ago they were looked upon suspiciously by career counselors as inexperienced, brash interlopers. But since 1999, when the International Coach Federation began offering certification training for coaches, their reputation has risen steadily.

Today, roughly 3,700 people in the United States are certified by the federation. But anyone can call herself a coach; in fact, roughly 30,000 people do just that, estimates Diane Brennan, president of the federation. Hundreds of organizations offer some form of coaching certifications.

“A lot of people call themselves coaches because it’s the hot thing to do,” Ms. Brennan said. This factor is reflected in the rates coaches charge — up to $400 an hour. For many clients, seeing a coach feels far more upbeat, even more upscale, than working with a counselor. This makes some traditional career counselors fear they may become obsolete.

“A lot of people see having a coach as a prestigious thing, whereas going to a career counselor is often associated with having a problem,” said Maria Greco, a licensed professional counselor in Boulder with a Ph.D. in university administration.

A coach is more like a personal trainer, who coaxes clients to set and meet their job or career goals. A sure sign that you are talking to a coach is “five steps to” or “seven rules for.” The cover of Ms. Frederick’s 2004 book, “Dancing at Your Desk: A Metaphysical Guide to Job Happiness,” promises “The 7 Secret Steps to Finding Work You Love.”

Joel Garfinkle, a career coach in Oakland, Calif., said his seven-step formula to finding a dream job sets him apart.“It’s all about aligning your natural gifts and talent to your passions that will equal a career that is 100 percent about fulfillment,” said Mr. Garfinkle, with the turbo-charged delivery of a football coach.

What draws people to a career counselor or coach depends on their age, their location and the industry they work in. For instance, even though Silicon Valley has averted the worst of the economic slowdown, some people who have lost their job are asking whether the long commute and the grueling workdays are worth it before they start interviewing for a new job. “I’m seeing more people looking for quality of life, balance and a change that will give them something that’ll be more enduring and more of a natural expression of who they are,” said Norm Meshriy, a career counselor in Walnut Creek, Calif.

Career counselors and coaches also say they are seeing more college students and recent graduates. “Students are very concerned about the amount of debt they are graduating with, the sluggish economy, loss of jobs in numerous areas due to the housing bust, skilled jobs going overseas and fewer opportunities outside the service industries,” Linda Bates Parker, president of Black Career Women, a nonprofit devoted to the career development of black women, wrote in an e-mail. She is also director of career development at the University of Cincinnati.

At the other end of the career lifeline, a small but growing number of baby boomers are summoning career counselors and coaches.

Keyren H. Cotter, 67, is a loan officer at a bank in Denver. With a Ph.D. in materials science, Mr. Cotter, known as Casey, worked for years in engineering before moving into mortgage banking. But it was not the mortgage crisis that recently sent him to Ms. Frederick’s career workshop. “I ask myself, ‘What’s my legacy? Why am I here?’ ” Mr. Cotter said. “I’m at a period where I’m no longer motivated by money. I’m looking for something with more substance and more meaning.”

In the weeks since the workshop, Mr. Cotter saw Ms. Frederick for a one-hour session. He recalled that when he walked into her office she said, “I’ve been meditating on you. I think you should make movies.” Now he is considering combining his interest and experience in financing with documentary filmmaking.

“It’s too early to know,” Mr. Cotter said. “But I know I’m getting unstuck.”


***

Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit http://www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

AMA Study Finds More Use of High-Level Coaching

I came across this article through American Management Association on coaching and thought it would be great to share.

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Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:41 pm (PDT)
AMA Study Finds More Use of High-Level Coaching
by Agatha Gilmore

Today, many organizations aim to grow by accelerating talent development as much as possible. According to a new study by the American ManagementAssociation (AMA), coaching has become one increasingly popular way to do it.

The study, "Coaching: A Global Study of Successful Practices," surveyed more than 1,000 business leaders around the world and found use of coaching as a means of increasing individual productivity was up. Nearly 60 percent of North American companies use coaching for high potentials frequently or a great deal, and about 42 percent use coaching of executives to the same extent. These percentages were higher in the international sample.

Contrarily, only 37 percent of North American respondents and less than 30 percent of international respondents said they used coaching to help problem employees.

"We're all expecting more out of individual performers," said Edward Reilly,president and CEO of AMA. "I think coaching has been found to be another effective tool in terms of talent development, and it makes sense to investin that type of development. It's also pretty clear that the reduction [incoaching for low performers] comes from trend to learner, more competitive companies with probably less tolerance for long-term carrying of people whoare not performing. Extensive amounts of intervention are probably not as common as they might have been a decade or two ago.

"The study's findings also tie into issues surrounding Generation Yemployees' entry into the workforce. These young workers are known for their social networking and their need for mentoring and guidance. Coaching is notonly desired but expected by Gen Yers, but many recognize it's something they must earn in today's marketplace.

"I think younger people see [coaching] as an important part of their long-term deal with the company," Reilly said. "Part of their compensationis the company's efforts to develop them as individuals and as managers."The AMA study also found the type of coaching offered has an impact on theeffect. For example, it appears external coaches can be more individually effective, while internal coaches tend to be more cost-efficient in the longterm.

"[I]nternal coaches often provide lower cost of services, exhibit more consistency in methods and understand the organizational culture," said theAMA study. "However, they may also be perceived as less credible. Leaders may consider internal coaches to be less confidential.

"The study's authors cite a 2007 report titled "Executive Coaching for Results," in which 59 percent of leaders indicated a preference for external coaches, while only 12 percent preferred internal coaches.

"External coaches can bring greater objectivity, fresher perspectives, higher levels of confidentiality and experience in many different organizations, industries and business environments, " they wrote.

Regardless of what kind of coaches an organization chooses, the AMA study showed, in these troubled economic times, organizations likely will find more value than ever in leveraging coaching.

"Generally speaking, our team believes that coaching will continue to expand and mature as an important leadership development practice," said the authors. "We expect that coaching will become one of the keys to developing and retaining scarce talent in the future, and we think companies that learn to leverage it well will have a significant competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

"To see a full copy of the free AMA study, visit www.amanet.org and register to view the materials.

***
Reggie Waller is president of RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, which provides business and personal coaching, consulting and training services to individuals and businesses. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

We all have had a Derek Redmond moment!!!

When things are not going the way you expected, will you stop and go no further or will YOU be like Derek Redmond (1992 Olympics 400m) and finish what you started?

When we set out on our journey in life, sometimes things happen that are unforeseen. At any point, we need to make adjustments as these situations occur. We can't always do it alone and need the support of others to get us back on track.

Share your Derek Redmond moment and what you did to overcome your obstacle.

xxx

RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations. For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

What will you discover when you focus on the journey?

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it." - Greg Anderson –

I came across this quote a few years ago that I still keep in front of me to remind me of the people, places and things that I have come across. Be in the PRESENT and enjoy the MOMENT!

As I converse with people throughout my journey, I find that a fair portion live their life looking to get to the destination and miss the important and valuable things that take place during the journey. What are you missing or overlooking during your journey (i.e. appreciation of the person(s) you’re sharing the experience with, the knowledge you gained, how you were affected by the experience, etc.)?

As you go through your journey, stop for a minute, breathe and take it all in.

You’ll be surprised at what you will discover.

xxx

RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations.

For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com

Active Listening equals Effective Listening

Recent studies conducted by the International Listening Association illustrated we retain half of what we hear and forget about half of that within 48 hours. We listen at 125-250 words per minute, but think at 1000-3000 words per minute. Truly, what kind of impact does effective listening have on your customers, employees and business associates?

As people become more busy and strive to multitask, active listening becomes secondary.
If you’re a culprit of non-active listening, you probably do three or more of the following when listening to customers, employees and business associates:

- Finish others thoughts
- Tolerate or create distractions (i.e. text messaging, check email, doodle, etc.)
- Fake paying attention to what is being said
- Create early assumptions without keeping an open mind
- Call the subject uninteresting
- Criticize the speaker or the topic being discussed

Here are a few tips to help you develop your active listening skills:

Avoid distractions. Give the speaker your full attention. As people strive to multitask, we tend to answer email through “crackberry” and do things to take us away from listening to the message.

Keep an open mind. Listen without being quick to judge the speaker delivering the message. Take the time to hear the message being communicated in its entirety.

Paraphrase. Listen to the words and try to picture what the speaker is saying. Take notes to capture the main points of what is being said. There is no need to write down word for word. Paraphrasing demonstrates that you comprehend what was said and the speaker delivering the message knows you identify with their message.

Original message:

“We received our quarterly invoice which seemed to be 20% more than the previous quarter. We have not made any changes in the amount ordered and were suppose to receive a discounted rate based on a promotion presented by your sales team”

Paraphrased:

“I understand that there may be an error in the quarterly billing you received.”

Be patient and quiet your mind. Don’t interrupt and don’t impose your thoughts as this will disturb the speaker. This may seem like a challenge, but try not to finish their statements. Be at ease with silence during conversation. If the speaker pauses, silence allows them to think about what they want to say without the disturbance of voice.

Listen between the lines. Pay attention to what is and especially isn’t said – emotions, facial expressions, gestures, posture and other non-verbal cues. Also, exhibit some non-verbal cues when you’re listening:

- Face the speaker and maintain eye contact
- Nod to show you understand
- Have engaging posture

Just like paraphrasing, it lets the speaker know you are there with them.
In business, listening is an active not passive activity. Practice these tips the next time (every time) you’re listening to a speaker. Now, you have some improved tips to effective listening let me ask you my original question again “What kind of impact does effective listening have on your REVENUES?”

Active listening … Let’s make it happen!

xxx

RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations.

For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com.

Failure is a good thing!

Christine Comaford-Lynch, CEO of Mighty Ventures said “If you haven’t been rejected, or haven’t failed before, you simply are not taking enough risks. You aren’t stretching yourself”.

I thought that this was a great statement about not stretching our limits and taking on risks. We all hate rejection no matter the situation (i.e. loss of a big contract, not getting a raise, being passed up for a promotion, not getting into the undergraduate or graduate school of our choice, etc.). Why should I be rejected when I can save myself the embarrassment? Why not take a risk and do something you’ve never done before!!! You may be surprised of the outcome especially if you don’t fail. If you do fail, you can always learn from your mistakes, but the thing is that you learned something new.

Next time, go ahead fail and take a risk. What will you learn from the outcome?


xxx


RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations.For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com.

The Etiquette of Exchanging Business Cards

I came across this great video on "The Etiquette of Exchanging Business Cards". The video is a little stiff, but gives some valuable points on exchanging business cards.

Etiquette coach Syndi Seid goes over the do's and don'ts of presenting and receiving a business card. Seid makes a great point about "never hand out business cards like it's a poker game." I see this happening at various events and it as an ineffective way of networking.

Enjoy!

xxx

RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations.For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com.

Siemens Toastmasters is proud to acknowledge Reggie Waller

Toastmasters International first issued the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award in 1970. The DTM is the highest award for members displaying outstanding enthusiasm, participation, and leadership. Siemens Toastmasters is proud to acknowledge Reggie Waller, pictured at left, our first member to achieve the DTM in 2008. Congratulations, Reggie!

PowerPoint Presentations: Tips on making your business presentation a success!

Business professionals spend a reasonable amount of time giving presentations communicating new and existing ideas, proposals for investors, clients, etc. PowerPoint presentations has become a ubiquitous tool for these varying types of business presentations. At times though, I find that the technical aspect of the tool gets overused, misused, and the audience tends to walk away with an unclear message of the presentation. Here are some solutions to assist with getting your message to land with your audience when using PowerPoint:

Just like a speech, you must have an opening, body and conclusion. First, determine how much time you have for your presentation. Next, create the outline of your discussion. After you create your outline, you create the content within your presentation. This is a sample of how a 30-minute presentation would be structured:

Slide 1: Title (1 minute)
Slide 2: Agenda (2 minutes)
Slide 3 – 9: Body (Keep it focused on your audience) (14 minutes)
Slide 10: Summary (Recap Presentation) (3 minutes)
Q&A (black screen): 10 minutes

**20 minutes for you presentation which gives you on average 2-minutes per slide and 10 minutes for Q&A.

Here are some key takeaways when using PowerPoint for your business presentation:

Do:

- Rehearse your content
- Use it to support your topic/ discussion
- Summarize the slide or the main point
- Take time to introduce the material
- Keep your bullet points to 5 per slide
- Keep eye contact with your audience
- Use graphics and illustrations that support your topic
- Avoid jargon
- Allow enough time to set up and check your equipment. (make handouts as a back-up if equipment does not work)

Don’t:

- Use animation (it takes away from your talk and tends to distract your audience)
- Read from the slides
- Forget what’s in it for the audience (WIIFM)
- Place your back to the audience.
- Cruise through slides. If information is not relevant, then don’t display it. (unless giving handouts)
- Panic if the equipment fails

Black or White

Another way to add value to your presentation is the “B” or “W” key. When you need to elaborate on a point during your presentation and would like to take the focus off of the screen and back to you, the “B” key makes your screen black and the “W” that’s right it makes the screen white. Not shift or control key needs to be used in combination with the “B” or “W” key.

After the summary slide, this is great time for Q&A. Use the “B” or “W” key to make your screen blank, so that people know you have completed your presentation and to focus their attention on you.

Speaker Notes

There are a few ways to make notes on what you would like to say on each of your slides. The easy way is to print your entire presentation and write notes on each page. You can also click the View menu, click Notes Page. The notes section will appear under your slide. You can type notes in this section. To view your printed notes, click on the File menu, click Print. Under Print what, select notes pages and click okay. You now have a clean presentation with notes to do your practice run.

Note: When you display your presentation, the audience will not see you notes section.

Keep It Simple

While all the bells and whistles may look nice, keep in mind the message you’re looking to convey to your audience. Outline the message you want the audience to walk away with at the end of your presentation. The bells and whistles will not sell an idea that has not been thoroughly researched and thought out. Keep the presentation simple and focused directly to your topic.

xxx

RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations.

For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com.

Goal Setting: Ways to keep focused and motivated

At the beginning of the year, people typically set goals as a new year resolution (i.e. lose weight, spend more time with friends, run a marathon, etc.). At the end of the year, people find that they only reach some or none of their goals. Anatole France said “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” You must dream and believe in reaching your goals. Let’s focus on a plan of action to help you set goals. If you for example wanted to run a full marathon (26.2 miles), these are the things that you would want to consider:

Create a plan of action. In order for you to achieve your goal, you have to start with the what, when, and who questions. Identifying these questions upfront rather than later, will help make your journey less painful. Don’t create the plan and then put it away. Keep it in a place where you can review it every so many days to see where you are and where you’re going.

What is the goal that I would like to achieve. What is your dream, what do you want to achieve. For example, you want to run a complete 26.2 mile marathon. You should make this your goal and not someone else’s. This is a common trait when setting goals. I want to do this because my spouse or friends think it would be excellent for me. Well, if you don’t establish the goal for yourself, you will find it hard to achieve that goal.

When would I like to achieve this goal by. Set a realistic time frame around your goal. I want to complete this marathon in Philadelphia, PA by July 2008. If at all possible, try to break the goal into manageable components (i.e. 90 day increments). Also, creating milestones within the goal allows you to not feel overwhelmed. Be sure to have fun when you’re working to reach your goal. Let me say that again, have FUN when working towards your goal. When you start to take it too seriously, you start to loose focus and that causes you to shift your focus elsewhere. Don’t forget to celebrate when you reach milestones. This is great motivation to help you achieve the next level of your plan.

Who if anyone do I need to help me achieve this goal. Sometimes you need others support to help you overcome challenges and obstacles in order to achieve your goals. If you have not run in some time, you may need to engage some friends or a running coach for training and motivation. This is not a bad thing at all. Having people that are positive in nature supporting you with your goals, helps you keep focused and motivated on your vision. These are just some of many methods to assist you in setting goals. These methods can be utilized with any types of goals (short or long-term) you’re looking to achieve. Reflect on what you’ve learned throughout the process. Every goal starts with your vision, your dream. If you believe it, you can achieve it. Put your goal setting plan in place and work your plan.

xxx

RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations.

For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com.

Staying connected in your network

It's time for a little spring cleaning, not only with things around your home, but also with the contacts within your network. When is the last time you updated pertinent information for contacts within your network?

Well now is a great time to go through your contacts and do the following:

1. Add and/ or delete any contacts within your network.
2. Do you need to make changes to their email address, phone number or home/ business address.
3. Are there any special notes that you can add about a your contact.
4. Is your network growing to where you need to categorize your contacts.

Don't wait too long to update your network information. Keep it as current as possible, so when you need to contact someone, the information is up-to-date.

xxx

RWJ Consulting Group, LLC, provides consulting, coaching and training services to individuals, entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and corporations.

For additional information call 267-254-6800 or visit www.rwjconsultinggroup.com.

Tips in Becoming a More Confident Speaker

Most people fear speaking in front of a large group of people thinking they look foolish. Public speaking is not an easy task! It takes time and practice to get comfortable in front of an audience.

When you are speaking before an audience, you should be talking with your audience (having a conversation), not talking at them. The structure of your talk is like the research papers you did in school. You have your thesis statement followed by the introduction, body and conclusion. The only difference is you are delivering the information verbally.

Let’s focus on some tips to help you become comfortable in front of your audience.

Know Your Audience: WIIFM: What’s in it for me! Who is your audience? Why should they listen to you? What tips can you provide them to help them get the results they seek?

Your Material: 1. Tell them what you are going to tell them. 2. Tell them. 3. Tell them what you told them. There is no “best” way to organize your speech. There are several different ways to organize, and the method you choose often depends on the topic you select and the objective. Have an outline with a few main points.

Tell them what you’re going to tell them. (Introduction) This is the time where you get to make a “connection” with your audience. WIIFM: What’s in it for me! Research your audience. Where are they now? Where should they be after your presentation?

Tell them. (Body) Develop strong supporting stories. The middle of your talk is where you expand on your key points and develop personal stories that support where you were and where you are now. The amount of information you include in the body will be limited by the amount of time available to you and how much the audience can remember. Give them enough information but don’t bore them with too much detail. Avoid complicated jargon.

Tell them what you told them. (Conclusion) To end your presentation, tell them what you told them. Close on a high note. Summarize your main points in the same way you normally do in the CONCLUSION of a written paper. Leave your audience with a positive impression, a call to action and a sense of completion.

Overcoming Anxiety: Practice! Practice! Practice! Recognize that nervousness can be a positive motivator. Don’t point out that you are nervous. Use notes to help. Have an outline just incase you loose your place. If you stumble, move ahead.

Logistics: Arrive at your destination 30-minutes prior (or earlier) to survey the set-up, so that you can get comfortable. An athlete always arrives at the game early for a warm-up. With speaking, the same concept applies. Go through your warm-up. Make sure your equipment works, do your sound check and work out all the bugs before your presentation and not during.

Visual Aids: These add value to your presentation such as handouts, articles, pictures, diagrams, etc. Make sure you have enough, so that your audience can follow along with you. If you plan to use a hand-out as a take away, hand it out after the presentation so that the focus is on you and not the handout.

Record Yourself: See how you sound prior to delivering your speech. This is the time you can make any necessary adjustments to your speech and help build your confidence.

The best way to get over the fear of speaking is to face your fear head on. Through practice and preparation with the tips above, you will gain greater confidence in public speaking. If you are looking to get ongoing practice, join a local club through Toastmasters International or volunteer to speak at various community groups. You can conquer the fear of speaking in public through patience, practice, and preparation.